MotherAndDaughterReunionMother and Daughter Reunion"Okay, you're in good hands now. I'll go annoy the Chamberlain now. Au revoir, cousin." Lorius says. Not quite like the cheshire cat, Lorius vanishes from sight. Aura rolls her eyes. He was such a show-off. "Your highness." Selene says, after a soft rap on the door. "You have a visitor." Aura quickly removes two shrunken articles from her bags and releases the spell that had been holding them in miniature. The star flowers glowed softly; the silvery bell like flowers mixed among them did as they were expected to, and Aura smiles at the soft tinkling sound they made as she shakes them gently. "Send her in, Selene." comes the voice of Deirdre. Selene opens the door only a crack, letting Aura pass through before closing it behind her. The sultry brunette smiles warmly at Selene as she passes her in the doorway, the exotic bouquet cradled in the crook of her arm. "Merci," she says quietly Beyond it is an antechamber of some sort, done in a rich baroque style with accents of silver to furniture and furnishings. A large circular rug with a border in greek key design in green and gold dominates the floor. But Deirdre's guest has no interest in her surroundings. She does note the familiarity of the rug design, though not consciously as she sets her father's letter and flowers on a table as she walks past it. Risen from a sitting couch that Aura can sense she was laying only a few moments ago is the black haired, blue eyed woman who could only be her mother. With time running as it does in Atlantis, it has been years since Aura has seen her mother. But it has not dimmed her memory of the woman in front of her. She moves closer, smiling. "Hello, Mother," she says quietly. Blue eyes run from the glowing bouquet, to Aura's face and then a more discerning look as she slowly closes the distance. The fact that there is some stiffness or discomfort in Deirdre's movements is obvious to Aura. Also evident to Aura is the emotion in Deirdre's eyes: Unexpected and pleasant surprise. Aura's smile relaxes, brightens. The last time she had seen her mother, Deirdre had very emphatically told her to stay put. But the years had been long in Atlantis, and Aura was no longer the young woman she had once been. Gamely, she smiles once the distance is closed and hands move first to Aura's shoulders, and then a more substantial embrace. She says nothing as she does so. Her daughter almost falls into it, dropping her saddlebags to the floor. She felt Nick scurry down her back to get to the safety of the floor, where he took up a position on her bags. Aura closes her eyes, embracing her mother firmly, her head on the taller woman's shoulder. She breathes deeply of her scent. It was different after all she had been through, but the underlying notes are still her mother's. "How long has it been, in Atlantis, dear daughter?" Deirdre asks, once the hug is ended. Her smile dims and she bites her lip before answering. "A hundred and seventy five years," she answers quietly. We were prepared for a long wait, but..." she gestures helplessly and takes a breath. "Father remains devoted to you still." "So long..." Deirdre's tone of voice holds mild surprise. "I never intended for it to be so long. My own...experience felt like an eternity." she admits. "Lorius told me what happened," Aura continues as she looks more intently at Deirdre. "I insisted he bring me, though he apparently planned to anyway. Is there anything I can do to help your recovery?" "Time heals all wounds." Deirdre says. She slides backward with a fraction of the full grace that she must have, and sinks back onto the sitting couch. A slight motion of the head, of welcome, and a brush of her hand to a spot on the couch, a place for Aura to do more than just stand. "I know not what more than time can do to heal what was done to me." She sits where indicated and eyes Deirdre worriedly as her mother continues to speak. "Brand took something essential out of me." Deirdre says. "Something that I have not yet recovered or reconstituted" Her eyes look enquiringly at Aura. "You didn't wind up training as a healer, did you?" Aura makes a face and waggles her hand from side to side. "Some. Nothing official. The Healers of the Temple of Nerissa are only willing to share so much with those who haven't taken the Oaths and imprinted on that particular power crystal. But I did spend a few years learning what they //would// share." She smiles faintly. "Kovikin and his brother-you remember them?" "I remember them." Deirdre gives a nod and a faint smile as Aura continues. "They are always getting up to something that needed a Healer." She cocks her head to one side. "Do you know what it was he took?" Deirdre twitches her mouth. "Not as such. What I am going to tell you, what truly happened, only Jayson knows, since he was there. I haven't told Corwin. I certainly haven't told Percy. Both might take the full story badly and go off and do something stupid." "Boys..," Aura sniffs. She looks at Aura. "It stays in this room. Oui?" She studies her mother gravely and then gives a firm nod. "Oui." She reaches over and takes one of her mother's hands. "Tell me." Deirdre looks solemnly at Aura. Her hand is slightly cool to Aura's touch. "As you no doubt know, Brand dragged me into the Abyss at Patternfall. Into the Abyss we fell, and I expected that we would fall forever, or die first." Deirdre begins. "Neither proved accurate. After falling for a long interval, but not forever, we arrived in a place. A place beyond the Abyss or reached through it, but not of it. A place of cold, a place of ices colder than water, a frozen hell." Aura fightes to keep the horror of her mother's past situation from her face. She scoots closer to her and wraps her free arm around the older woman. Deirdre gratefully takes the arm and pauses her story for a moment before continuing. "Brand recovered from the fall, arrow and all, faster than I did." Deirdre admits. "Or he knew better where we were and took advantage of it. My memory faded in and out, but soon I was his prisoner in a tower of the selfsame material in that bleak place. And yet for the power he had to sculpt that world, he had no power or not enough power to effect escape." "We spent years, decades in that place, until he devised a plan." Deirdre says. "The nature of the place slowly ate at us both, sapping us, eroding our true strength month by month. So he decided that he could gain enough strength and return to the real world by taking my power." "I came to understand that he was to make me a human sacrifice in a ritual of dark magic to power his escape, Aura. His preliminary plans were complete when Jayson gatecrashed that demi plane of Ice, battled Brand to a draw, and effected our escape." "And thus diminished but freed, I came to happier realms." Deirdre finishes. "Oh, gods, mother," Aura murmurs. She wraps her arms around her mother and hugs her again. "You are very strong to have lasted that long through all that." She pulls back, hand on Deirdre's shoulders. "Did... Brand didn't get out, did he?" Deirdre sighs and nods, with obvious reluctance. "Yes, Aura, he must have received enough power from me to manage it after all. For what happened to him afterwards is not my story to tell. However, I am given to understand that someone you know very well was one of those who together tangled with Brand after the b*stard managed to get out." "Lorius." "I have been assured" Deirdre continues "that Brand is defanged and secured in a very secure and a very secret place. Likely one of the reasons for the latter is to keep me from killing him out of hand." "Great leaping goddesses, Mother," Aura sighs. "Lorius went on for //hours// after he woke up in the Temple. He probably did tell me and I forgot. That man get so long winded sometimes, that I am certain half of what he told me went in one eare and out the other while I was trying to take everything in - and missed great sweeping chunks of his epic tale." She smiles crookedly. "Bless his wee, fuzzy heart." This earns a smile from Deirdre. Nick snickers, pulling Aura's attention to him. "Oh! Mother, this is Nick. Kovikin gave him to me. He's pretty okay--," she smirks. "-- for an alcoholic, show tune singing lizard who thinks he's a missing member of the Rat Pack. Nick, my Mother, Princess Deirdre." "Hello...Baby!" Nick points a finger at Deirdre. Aura's mother blinks momentarily and waits a moment before responding. "A boon companion to my daughter is very welcome." "See?" Nick crows triumphantly to Aura. "Told ya she'd love me." Aura rolls her eyes. "Don't let it go to your tiny head. It's early yet." "It's night here." Nick counters with a grin. "Don't let him find the King's liquor cabinet, though." Deirdre says. Her expression sobers from the mirth to a more neutral one. "Is his Royal Majesty, Random I, next on your visitation list?" She blinks. "Umm..... no? I think Lorius meant for that to be tomorrow." She frowns faintly. "But I wasn't really paying attention to him at that point, since we were right outside your door." Aura tilts her head inquisitively. "Should I do it tonight?" Deirdre laughs and shakes her head. "By the Unicorn, not tonight. I have it on very good authority that his Majesty already has a problem on his plate for tonight. He'd be less than amicable if you parachuted in on the heels of it. And the impact of your arrival would be tragically wasted." "We can't have that," Aura grins. Deirdre gives a brief smile of agreement before continuing. "No, my advice for you is to get some sleep and get yourself situated to Amber time. The King is not an early riser. There'll be Court tomorrow, you can either make a big splash and introduce yourself then, or you can go meet and greet him afterwards in private first." "I think we both know what Lorius would choose for you." Deirdre says. "And I, too, would want a daughter of mine to have the biggest and best introduction possible, but the choice really is yours, dear daughter." "Well, who am I to disappoint my mother?" Aura chuckles and then smiles slyly. "I even brought Atlantean Court dress." She tilts her head and studies Deirdre. "I should let you get back to your rest. There's a letter from Father with the flowers, which are also from him. I have some things to tell you; things that happened before we left. But I think they can wait until tomorrow." "Good" Deirdre says. "That will give me several things to look forward to on the morrow." Aura's mother rises and turns and regards Aura and Nick, offering Aura a hand to rise. "I will likely be stupid and attempt a workout close to dawn." Deirdre smiles thinly. "Sometime afterwards, when you have awoken, we should share the breaking of our fast before deciding on plans. The food here is admittedly not Atlantean, but it is very good." She stands and gives her mother's hand a gentle squeeze, then wrinkles her nose at the idea of what might pass for food in these parts. "I'd like that," she smiles anyway. "I mean, how different can eggs be, oui?" Aura retrives her elegantly decorated saddlebags and Nick-who scrambles up to her shoulder again. "Now, if you could point me towards someone who might know what rooms I'm using, I'll leave you to your rest." "His lordship Henden, Chamberlain of Amber, apportions out accommodations for guests and for those not yet officially recognized as scions of the Royal Family." Deirdre explains. "His office is on the first floor, and any servant can point you to it if the corridors become too confusing." "Hendon," Aura mouthed the odd name silently. Deirdre nods. "Or if they become too oppressive in their stolidity." Deirdre then rattles off a series of directions from her quarters. "Never fear, daughter." she adds. "Spring *is* coming to Amber." Aura snorts. "I am not convinced Spring will be much better." She smiles. "But we shall see. Perhaps I will spirit you home for a visit before then, oui?" Deirdre smiles. "Oui." Aura leans in and kisses her mother's cheek. "I will see you in the morning." And with that, she leaves Deirdre to her rest, says a smiling thank you to the young lass at the door, and heads off to follow directions. Nick boldly goes where many would like to go and finds a temporary perch on her cleavage as she pulls her cloak back over her shoulders and shudders. She looks down at a smirking Nick and makes a face at him. "Impertinent lizard." Aura finds herself in relatively quiet corridors of the Castle, with naught but the occasional servant to disturb her passage. Deirdre's instructions and directions prove precise enough to have her reach a relatively narrow servant's staircase. A guard here, female and dressed much like the one in front of Deirdre's quarters, looks alert at Aura (and Nick's) approach. "And here I was just saying that this has been a beehive of activity." the guard says, to herself if not to Aura. "Unless you're that Rebman in some sort of glamour, I have no idea who you are and why you are in the Family portion of the Castle." Aura arches an eyebrow and refrains from saying the first thing that pops into her head. She doubts this girl will appreciate 'Slumming' as an answer. She is going to have to remember that unlike the Atlantean Guard, these had no idea who she was. Well, that situation isn't going to last long, by Celestra's Starry Veil. Nick snickers briefly and then quiets. The guard regards Aura. "Quis es? Quo Vadis?" she asks. "Who are you and where are you going?" She smiles sweetly. Recognizing the signs of a short tempered Aura, Nick scampers back into her hood and peeks out from the relative safety it offers. Aura draws her self up to her full height - which is really not all that impressive without the boost of power that flares her aura just into the visible spectrum... and Lorius thought she hadn't been paying attention. "I am Princess Aura. Daughter of Atreus - Warlord of Atlantis and Princess Deirdre of Amber. I have beaten one kidnapping attempt and a shadow storm already on this journey, and I am extraordinarily tired and very, //very// irritable. I seek the Chamberlain, and then a hot bath; preferably in that order." It's the spectrum flash of power that really gets the guard's attention. Her eyes widen appreciably at Aura's display, her attitude and her determination. "Aura..." her eyebrows furrow in confusion, or a lack of recognition. "I don't know of any daughters of Deirdre, named Aura or otherwise." she says defensively. She regards Aura thoughtfully for a moment. "Perhaps my knowledge of the newer members of the Royal Family may be incomplete." she says in a more conciliatory tone. "I am Siti, Primary to Selene Typle of the Valkyries. The guards that your mother founded." "I have met Selene," Aura says with a touch more warmth. "When I visited my mother - who I just found out was recovering here. That is why I have come to Amber now in this wretched chill weather." Siti smiles slightly. "With all due respect, your highness, this has been a relatively warm winter. As far as Selene, she often stands vigil near the Princess' door. Now more so that She has returned to Us." The Capitalizations in the sentence are evident in Siti's tone of voice. Aura makes a tsking noise at the very idea of 'warm' being used to describe winter. The Valkyrie devotion to her mother is odd, but comforting. She would be sure and speak to Selene tomorrow about the incident in Atlantis. Deirdre's guard should be made aware of the threat. "In any event, Princess Aura." Siti adds. "the Chamberlain's office is not far away from the bottom of this staircase." "Merci, Siti," Aura nods. Then she gives the other woman a curious look. "What does it mean that you are Selene's Primary?" Siti bows her head to Aura. "To be Primary means to be her second in command. Within the hierarchy of the guards, I answer only to Selene, and of course Rylac Gericson. He's the commander of all of the Guards in the Castle." "Ah," Aura nods. "Merci. For explaining. Now I will leave you to your task and I will continue with mine." The Atlantean inclined her head. "Vale, Siti." "Kwaheri!" Siti replies. The brunette turns on the ball of her foot and sweeps down the way to the office of the Chamberlain. Down the staircase and through a couple of short corridors, Aura finds herself at the office of the Chamberlain, just as her mother had described. There is no need to knock; the door is ajar, there is a glowing light within, and the sound of muttering suggests that the Chamberlain is in. "You might as well come on in." comes the voice even before Aura knocks. "I've long since become used to shadows at my door." She shares a smile with Nick and enters the office on silent feet. The office within is a maze of paperwork like none that Aura has seen, even in the libraries of Atlantis. Paperwork. Henden's office can be summed up in that one word. Paperwork. Folders, scrolls, folios and other things cover Henden's desk in what appears to be a mess, but is really an idiosyncratic system of organization. And then there are the bookcases brimming with papers of various kinds,a shelf with a pair of gilted unicorns that serve as bookends. There are other touches, here and there. A small copy of Amber's kingdom's banner, the white unicorn on the green field, hanging on one wall, and a portrait of King Random on the other. And in the center of this sits a dark haired man scribbling something on a scroll. He finishes writing with a pen that is definitely anachronistic, and looks up at Aura. He squints and then enlightenment crosses his face. "Now." he says. "I don't know you by sight, but a mutual acquaintance described me to you. Accurately, even. You are none other than Aura, Princess of Atlantis, aren't you? I've started a folder on you already..." His hand reaches to touch a folder in a beige color. ""...oui," she says as she tears herself away from wondering how many trees had died for the cause. Then what he says registers and she sighs. "Dare I ask what he said?" Henden clears his throat. "Prince Lorius told me that he had escorted a beautiful dark haired daughter of Deirdre named Aura from a shadow called Atlantis to Amber. And to expect you here at my office. He asked me to reduce the amount of paperwork that you might have to fill out." Nick laughs. "How can I help yet another temporary resident to this crowded castle, your highness?" Henden then asks. "Rooms, please," she smiles. "And I desperately want to soak in a hot bath. Lorius said I would just have to make do with a guest room for that until after Court. Which is fine. But soon would be lovely." "He is correct. Even if you were a putative daughter of the King himself, you would not be assigned permanent quarters until a public declaration of your status before his Majesty's Court." "We have some guest rooms right here on the ground floor..." Henden continues. "or first floor, depending on how your shadow names such things. A servant can be tasked to draw you a bath. In the most part, only the permanent rooms for Family members have running water for baths." Aura expression is somewhere between horrified and scandalized. It is worse then she thought. She is going to have -- //words// with Lorius in the near future. Many of them loud. Perhaps even rude. Definitely sharp. Henden reaches for the file folder he indicated earlier. He opens it and finds a sheet of paper which he pulls out and pushes toward Aura. "Fortunately, your Highness, I placed a copy of a request form in your folder. All you will have to do is sign it and I can send a servant to see you to your room, and your bath." "A request form?" she echoes as she looks it over in disbelief. "Are you serious? Do I have to sign one of these everytime I want something?" No wonder he was buried in remains of a dead forest! She can already hear Kovikin laughing at her when she tells him about this. "The form is for the use of the room." Henden says confidently. "His Highness the Prince convinced me that you would not need to fill out most of the other ancillary paperwork I might normally require. However, I do require a record of your occupancy of the temporary room, especially since you have not been officially acknowledged at Court." Aura sighs and pulls her favorite stylus out of the air to sign the blasted thing. The fire gem casing flashed its swirling colors as she wrote out her name in flowing script. Henden looks at the signed form with satisfaction. "Thank you." he says, taking the form and lying alongside another form. He looks up to Aura. "A servant will show you to your room and to your bathing needs. "Poul!" he calls. "Get in here!" "Is there anything else I can help you with tonight, Aura?" Henden asks as the sound of footsteps approaches Henden's door. "Not that I know of," Aura answers with an almost wary befuddled air. "I believe I have everything else I need." And she did. Those saddlebags weren't just carrying clothes in a miniaturized state. As soon as she is soaking in a bath, a bottle of her favorite wine was going to be had, as well as a civilized dinner. She loved stasis spells. "Oh... I need someone to wake me in time to have breakfast with my mother, please. Can you arrange that?" A short young boy eases his way into Henden's office before the Chamberlain answers. The sandy haired boy bows his head to the Chamberlain, and then looks at Aura with wide eyes. The Atlantean gives him an indulgent smile. She can almost feel Nick roll his eyes. "That can be arranged, Aura." Henden says with confidence. He then looks at the boy. It takes a moment for him to break away from looking at Aura and back at the Chamberlain. "Poul, this is Aura. She will be staying in the Selenite Rooms, It's next to the Argentopyrite Suite." "That's where the visitor from Rebma is staying." Poul says brightly. "Exactly." Henden says indulgently. "Escort her there, and see to her needs before you depart." He opens a drawer and produces a brass key set with a piece of some sort of white rock at its base. He hands this key to Poul. "Yes, sir." Poul says and then looks at Aura expectantly. "Merci, Lord Chamberline," she says with a slight nod to the older man. She starts to turn away then stops, remembering. "This is my familiar," she explains with an indicating gesture to the lizard now on her shoulder. "On occasion, he wanders off on his own. I assume he looks unique enough not to be confused with a native garden lizard. I would appreciate it if you asked the staff not to chase him off with brooms or whatnot should they see him." Nick points a digit at Henden and winks. "You're the third new member of the family to come with a familiar in the last few days." Henden says. "A very strange trend. I will put a note in your file about your..." "Nick." Nick prompts helpfully. "Yes. Nick." Henden says. "I think I am going to need to create a special file. Bishop...Dora...and now Nick." He looks up at Aura. The look of paperwork is almost mirrored in his eyes. "Nothing further is required, tonight at least. Thank you for your time." After getting such assurances (or signing the blasted paperwork), she turns back to the other. "Lead on, young Poul," Aura says encouragingly. "We shall be right behind you." Poul moves with alacrity out of the Chamberlain's office and down corridors. He slows his pace only when they are a corridor turn away. "Are...are you a sorceress?" Poul asks nervously, his pace slowing further. "The...the last members of the Royal Family I escorted to rooms were users of magic, and while leading him to his rooms, I...We were briefly put under an enchantment by an enemy of Prince Jayson who followed him here." "Really?" she hums. "Jawohl" Poul replies. "Hm..." Aura looks suspiciously around the hallway. No doubt it was the sheer amount of magic in the air and walls of the Palace of Atlantis that keep such things from happening there. Of course, there is the fact that for a peaceful people, they can be remarkably swift and terrible with their vengeance. Still, she need only look at the //floor// to remind herself she wasn't in Atlantis and these people could be rather creative in their barbarism. She waves a hand and settles two different shields around herself and the young Poul. Then she gives him a smile. "There," she says lowly and just for him. "Anyone casting spells or weapons at us will get a nasty backlash. Which will serve them right, yes?" Nick chuckles aloud. "Ja" Poul says in an agreeable tone. He then looks at himself, and then up at Aura and Nick. "My Oma had a touch of the Sight. I sometimes have a touch ,too. I think the spell that was cast on us briefly has made it more active. If I concentrate hard enough, I can see spells. I see something translucent and blue around me. And something like it around you." "Very good," she beams. "That is a truly excellent gift to have. You should cultivate it. You never know when that might be important in the future." He starts walking again, addressing Aura. "Are there enemies that might follow you here, as the enemy of Prince Jayson did?" "I am not certain they would risk it," Aura says after a moment's thought. "It is one thing to attack me in Shadow, it is quite another to do so in the very heart of Amber. But it never hurts to be careful." "Yes." Poul says. Although the affirmation is in Thari this time, Poul keeps his guttural-language accent. "I thank you for the protection, your Highness." he adds sincerely. "There have been a number of unusual events in the Castle and the Kingdom recently, your Highness." he says, lowering his voice as if telling a secret."Since before the festival last night. Princes and Princesses coming back or coming here for the first time. Like you." he says with a touch of shyness. "Strange doings in the Castle, in Arden, in the City." "Some blame it on the Festival, although things began before it..." Poul adds He turns a corner. "And here is the way to your suite." Around the corner is a short corridor leading to a door. Poul walks to it, unlocks the door with a sound not unlike winding a gear or a clock, and opens it. Beyond the door is a large room, with a small, single window. The room is lit by several of the the Amberian equivalent of Atlantean illumination sorcery--glass spheres perched in various locations in the room. The room has a seating area, a desk, and several chairs for comfort. There is also a bookcase filled with volumes. The major pieces of art are a tapestry of the Unicorn, gold on green, and a large obelisk shaped crystal, made out of translucent white gypsum, standing in a corner. Two doorways seem to lead to a bathroom, and a sleeping chamber, respectively. "Does it suit, milady?" Poul asks, offering Aura the key. Aura gives the lonely window a forlorn look. But this is hardly the boy's fault. She smiles as she accepts the key. "For tonight. How do I go about getting a bath drawn?" "While there is a bell pull, if...if you wanted one now, all you would have to do." Poul says, with the redness returning to his face "is to ask me. I...I can see to immediately, if that is your wish." Aura was moving about the room, running her fingers over the spines of the books.. "That would be fine. The sooner the better." "Immediately." Poul says, executing a stiff but serious bow. "Merci," she responds with a dazzling smile before resuming her examination of the books. And so the young Poul departs, leaving Aura and Nick alone in the suite for a few minutes. The books in the library are a variety of titles, ranging from history to fiction. Titles like "A History of the Patternfall War" and "The Tragedy of Eric, King of Amber" share space with titles like "Isembaard, Scourge of the Seas" and "Venecia and the Search for the Soulsteel Amulet." She sets Nick down on one of the shelves and lets him explore titles as well. He was perfectly capable of reading Turning pages of tomes several times larger then he was could be a chore (and entertaining to watch), but Aura had a simple enchantment she could put on the books to make it much easier for him. When he read for fun, it was usually something tawdry, or some work of high adventure. Aura blamed Lorius . He was the one that 'accidently' left that ridiculous detective 'pulp ' novel behind one visit. Nick had driven them all crazy with his Philip Marlowe observations for weeks afterwards. With the door ajar, Poul soon returns with a perfunctory knock, carrying two large buckets balanced on a pole that he manages on his shoulder. Turning from the shelf while pulling out one of the history books, Aura froze briefly. What an utterly barbaric method for the task of preparing a bath. Truthfully, she hadn't given the action much through. Even though she had been told there wasn't running water, she wasn't sure now how she expected them to manage it. Steam rises from the water that fills both buckets. He doesn't bow, but he gives a nod of the head in Aura's and Nick's direction as he heads into the bathroom. She gives him a vague nod in return. It isn't until he is out of her sight that she shakes herself out of it. Returning the book to its place, she throws off her cloak and tosses it over a chair. Nick looks up from 'The Baron of Mount Cross' "Whatcha gonna do?" he asks. "You will see." She points at the fireplace and snaps her fingers to start the laid in wood burning, then she follows Poul into the other room. A doubling spell was a simple matter to perform, and wouldn't tire her too terribly. She wasn't going to stand by and watch the poor lad carrying buckets on his shoulders from who knows where. Poul doesn't look up as he is engaged in the process of emptying one of the buckets into the brass clawfoot tub. With one of the two buckets emptied, he finally looks up at Aura. "I think only one more trip will be necessary, your Highness" Poul says brightly as he reaches for the second bucket. Nick skitters into the bathroom and sits on a stand with a basin and watches. She peers into the tub that is quite a bit smaller then what she is used to and wrinkles her nose. ""Perhaps," she allows before waving her hand over the tub and murmuring the spell under her breath to double the water already there. She waits until he has poured out the second bucket to do so. The spell is actually more difficult than Aura expects, as if something is resisting or impeding her spellcraft here. However, its a resistance that Aura can and does overcome. It just takes a little longer than the more instant gratification that she is used to. It definitely was harder than the shield spells she raised on herself and Poul. In any event, the volume of water in the bathtub nearly doubles, rising to a level that is much more suited to immersion. "That's showing him, baby" Nick says, pointing a digit at Aura and winking. She sets a hand near him on the stand, stroking his spine with her thumb. But her fingertips are currently supporting her and keeping her from swaying from the unfamiliar exertion. That had been a simple spell. It shouldn't be that hard in her opinion. Maybe after she had many loud words with Lorius, they will discuss this. Poul's eyes widen with appreciation even as he doesn't recognize or sense Aura's reaction. He tears his eyes away from the tub to face Aura. "I'll...see to it that you have fresh hot towels and a bathrobe when you are done." "Do not worry about a robe," she smilingly informs him. "I have that covered. But towels will be lovely." Skirts flaring around her feet, she moves herself back into the other room to find the things she needs for her bath in her bags. Poul nods. "Ja" and with a bow he departs the bathroom, crosses the front-room and slips out of the door. In the interim, even though it was a strong and unfamiliar exertion, Aura's strength does recover from the exertion at a reasonable rate. Nick walks out of the bathroom and returns to the big thick novel he had been reading and props himself so that he can continue. "I'll be right here waiting for the kid with the towels." Nick says to Aura with a wink of the eye. "All ya gotta do is whistle." She rolls her eyes as she takes her things from her bag. "Behave. I will wait until he delivers them before I get in the bath. While I enjoy shocking people, he is a bit young to get the Atlantean Experience tonight." "*That's* for later in the week, right?" Nick asks. "Maybe as early as tomorrow morning," she smirks. "Though not for Poul." Aura taps Nick's book to make it easier for him to deal with and then saunters into the bathroom, kicking off her shoes along the way. After releasing the shrinking spells, she pours herself a glass of Fire Wine, adds her favorite bath oil to the steaming water, lays out the caftan that only covers the important bits with artistically arranged falling peacock feathers painted onto the nearly sheer silk. Setting the tray of Atlantean finger foods near at hand, she spends the time waiting on Poul brushing out her hair. It was a mess after that wild ride and storm. About fifteen minutes later, Aura hears a perfunctory knock on the outside door. Poul arrives, with a tower of towels that adds a couple of feet to his height. In alternate colors of off white and forest green, its difficult to see how Poul could possibly maneuver through the corridors with it. "Your towels meine Edelfrau." Poul says, lowering the towels onto a side table. "Milady" he adds, correcting himself. She smiles. "No need to apologize. I knew what you meant. Merci. There is a bowl of Atlantean candies out in the sitting room near that chatty familiar of mine. Help yourself. They are //very// good." Poul takes one of the candies and weighs the disc shaped treat in his hand as if it were an ingot of gold rather than candy. "Thank you." he says. "Have a good night, milady." She tossels his hair and shoos him out, closing the door behind her - though she does leave it cracked enough for Nick to enter. Humming, she pulls a stone off one of her necklaces and places it at the base of the door frame; a tap and a word brings the ward into being. She is in a strange place; she knows exactly two people and there has already been an attack on her and one in the halls on someone else. She is not taking chances now. Being the daughter of the Sword of Atlantis //had// taught her a thing or two. And so with a little effort, the wards are safely up and as far as Aura can tell, functioning as required. Moments later she is relaxing in a steamy tub (after she spells the water hot and to stay that way) with a glass of fiery wine in one hand and a smoldering pipe of Atlantean herbs in the other. And Nick sits on the edge of the tub, his legs swinging over the side into the hot water, serenely regarding Aura through the haze of the smoke. [wherein Nick gets a contact high :)] (And unless Aura has any more business in the night, shall we leave Aura to her nocturnal bath, and then sleep, and move her to the morning?) [works for me] It was only by virtue of a spell that either of the recently arrived Atlanteans managed to wake up. All Aura wants to do is burrow deeper under the covers. She doesn't have to ask about Nick; he's currently nestled snuggly between Aura's breasts. But if she has to get up, so does the lizard. But not until there's more warmth in the room. A tanned arm snakes out from under the covers and points at the fireplace. She mutters under her breath to rebuild the fire and then rolls onto her back to consider the morning. What to wear, what to wear.... "Why are we awake at this unholy hour?" Nick grumbles. "To have breakfast with mother and then go to Court." "//I// don't need to be presented." "Yes, you do." He grumbles some more. None of it fit for polite company. Aura let him go one as the room warms. She yawns, stretches, and then peeks under the covers at him. "There may be Dakorian Chocolate in it for you...." He props his pointed head on a front leg, considering. "With brandy?" "Maybe a little," she concedes. "I do not want you breaking out into "Mack the Knife" in the middle of Court." "But I'm brilliant, baby!" Aura gives him a look and he sighs his little lizard sigh. "Oh, fine. The things I do for you." "Your life is full of trials and sacrifice," she replies with grave sarcasm. Nick is pleasantly warm and relaxed by the time Aura is ready. Zahyra's air spell had made arranging her air easy. She has chosen to tone down the normal Atlantean Ceremonial; she does need that much drama, or that much painting up. Besides, nothing should detract from The Outfit. Aura throws her cloak on, collects Nick, a memory pearl, and a small container of the chocolate she bribed Nick with, and sets off for her mother's rooms. Nick nibbles the Dakorian chocolate as he rides along on Aura's shoulder. The word on who Aura is must have gotten out, or perhaps her Atlantean outfit has marked her in some other regard. She gets looks (but respectful ones) and bobs of the head from servants she and Nick pass by. The guard, male, who stands watch at the back staircase also seems to know who Aura is, in the abstract. "Good morning, milady" he says with a nod of the head, and a deliberate attempt,only partially successful, not to stare at Aura's outfit. "Good morning," Aura replies warmly in that wonderously accented voice. She makes no move to pull her cloak closed. It doesn't bother her in the least, and people will just have to get used to it. "Anything exciting happen while I slept?" Calling what Aura has on under her cloak a skirt is a generous exaggeration. Two strips of rich velvety deep purple fabric hangs from a wide jeweled belt crafted to look like overlapping peacock feathers. The "skirt" just brushes her ankles while baring her legs at the sides from hip to hem. From ankle to upper thigh, delicately crafted gold vinework wraps around her right leg that can only be staying put by magic and the sheer force of her Will. The open gold work of the top is barely enough to preserve one's modesty-assuming Aura still had any about this sort of thing. Gilded leather sandals adorn her feet. She has kept her jewelry at a minimum, leaving the many necklaces and bracelets and ear cuffs behind; wearing only a gold bicep cuff embossed with crossed swords atop a sun in its glory - the symbol of her father's house, and an Atlantean Fire Gem hangs from a flat golden chain to rest over her sternum; its flickering fires of many colors shifting and alive in its inky depths. Homeland traditions required that she wear one of the ancient tiaras of the House of Theophiles of gold and pale purple jewels in this foreign court. She has opted for the smaller of the two. The other one gives her a headache. The guard just looks at Aura slack-jawed for a moment or two before he responds to her question with a shake of the head. He straightens himself up and puffs his chest outward. The guard seems to settle on the idea of looking more at Nick than at any revealed portions of Aura's anatomy. "The night was quiet, highness." the guard responds, speaking slowly enough to avoid stammering. He then smiles slightly. "This morning and day may prove to be highly interesting, highness. Gossip says that there are going to be formal presentations at Court today." He pauses a beat. "Are you one of them?" he asks. Her smile turns positively incandescent. "I am. Who else do you hear will be there?" The smile seems to be just the thing for loosening the guard's tongue. He smiles in return. Nick, on Aura's shoulder, manages not to snicker. "A guard who often has the fourth floor duty told me that a Rebman visited the King late last night in the company of his son Prince Martin and the old King, King Eric's daughter, Princess Noys. I didn't catch the Rebman's name, but I got the impression she was really the sister of one of them, and was going to be named as a Princess today, too." "Really?" is her perky response. "Rebman? How exciting! Lorius has told me so much about that place." The guard gives a slight smile and nod at this comment. "Your mode of dress reminds me a little of Rebman fashion." he says. Aura just adopted a speculative look for a moment. She smiles again. "You have been very nice. What is your name?" "My name is Phineas, milady." he says with a bow of the head, a comma of blond hair falling down in the process keeping him from ogling Aura...too much, anyway. "It has been an honor to meet you." he adds. "And you, Phineas," she replies cheerfully. "And now, I must attend my mother. Have a pleasant day if I don't see you again later." And with that she turns with a swirl of cloak and purple and continues on her way to Deidre's suite. They are well out of hearing range before she mutters to Nick. "They try so hard not to look, thereby drawing more attention to the fact that they are making a note of it. So silly." "Maybe we can blame the cold weather." Nick speculates as Aura finds their way through corridors. It's less quiet than the journey down to the Chamberlain's office last night. The motion of servants and guards is like a blur that slowly winds around Aura and Nick like smoke. And then, without further incident, Aura and Nick are at the door of her mother's quarters. It's not Selene, but another of the female guards stands at attention here. The tall blonde gives a nod of the head toward Aura and raps gently on the door while she still watches Aura. Aura gives a mildy amused smirk while watching the woman watching her. Really. What did she think she was going to do? Nick, on the other hand... On her shoulder, Aura can feel Nick getting the urge to wolf-whistle. "Taisez-vous, s'il-vous-plaît," she tsks at Nick. There was no point in antagonizing her mother's guards. Nick settles down, reluctantly. "Yes, Caprica?" comes the voice of Aura's mother. "Your daughter is here to see you." Caprica replies. "Send her in." Deirdre replies. She turns to regard Aura and Nick. "You are most welcome here." she says as she opens the door. "Merci," Aura says with a slight incline of her head as she passes the guard. Caprica bows her head in response. "Bonjour, Mère," she calls to her mother in a sing-song voice. "Good morning. You've come at an expected time. Breakfast just arrived." Deirdre replies. She is sitting on the sitting couch in front of that rug, although there is now a table between the couch and a second, low chair. This table has a variety of foods on plates, and a carafe of what smells like coffee. Deirdre stands as Aura comes in, although Aura notices that she does so in a decidedly stiff, almost injured manner. Her daughter comes around the table to kiss her mother on the cheek. She shrugs a shoulder to get Nick to move over her cloak covered shoulder. After he scampers down, she removes her cloak and drapes it over the arm of the couch. "I take it your morning workout was as ill advised as you guessed," she says as she looks her mother over. "Oui." Deirdre replies in a simple and spare tone. "I trust your first night in Castle Amber was not so terrible as you feared, oui?" Deirdre adds with a slight smile, changing the subject smoothly. Her eyes review her daughter, and without a doubt, her chosen wear. Deirdre betrays no immediate reaction. "It is very strange to wake in the morning and not hear the chimes and the wind's song through the temple domes," Aura replies as she moves to her seat. "And too much wall, not enough windows." She smiles instead of continuing to list off the shortcomings she perceives in her mother's ancestral home." "Although I never have seen eye to eye with her, I understand that my sister, your Aunt Florimel, has taken the role of Royal Architect, and has aspirations to correct some of the flaws she sees in the Castle design." Deirdre replies (Aura) "The guards around here are delightfully diverse. Yours are very devoted." "Thank you. I've been accused of starting a cult." Deirdre says, reaching for a piece of toast. She speaks as she smears jelly, possibly grape, on it, and begins to eat it with a compound of enthusiasm and grace. "I disagree with the assertion. Some decades before you were born, I decided that the guards here could use some female competition. Father acquiesced to my request, and so I started the Valkyries." "What I did not quite expect." Deirdre continues. "is that after I fell into the Abyss, the Valkyries would, if anything, increase their devotion and ties to me." "Like the Amberite shrines I've heard of in the Courts of Chaos" Deirdre continues "I suspect that some of my guards may consider me something close to a sort of saint." Aura pauses in turning water into hot milk in her cup and smiles over at her mother. "Far be it from me to dissuade them of that particular notion. Though you are something of a legend in Atlantis." Deirdre gives a thoughtful, pensive nod, chewing her toast. "That makes you the daughter of a saint, Aura!" Nick announces enthusiastically. She gives her familiar a look of amused annoyance. "Explain to me exactly what you think that's going to get either one of us." "Umm...young male guards who are willing to become closer to Saint Aura." Nick says after a moment. "As for me, I don't know what I'll do...but I'll do it...myyy...wayyyy." He then bows to Deirdre. Deirdre blinks a little uncertainly at Nick's display, and looks at her daughter. "If I had to make a guess, Nick has been unduly influenced by Fiona's son." Aura rolls her eyes. "You would be correct. Nick now seems to think he is a lost member of the Brat Pack - which I only know anything about through Fiona's son as well." She sprinkles a small amount of shaved Dakorian chocolate into the steaming cup of milk. Aura twirls her finger over it and the liquid stirs itself. "Lorius needs more hobbies. Better yet, a wife. His mother's been married, more than once. You'd think she'd try and settle him down." Deirdre muses. "On the other hand, Lorius *does* have his uses." Deirdre pours herself some coffee and sips it to listen to Aura. (Aura) "Did use Father's Memory Pearl yet? We left rather sooner then I expected, so he didn't have time to actually plan what he was going to say." Deirdre lowers the cup of coffee and smiles. "I did, this morning, after Flora's son and I sparred. I'm surprised it actually worked..." Aura looks rather smug as she blowed across the top of her chocolate before taking a sip. Deirdre pauses and then continues. "If he were not the Warlord of Atlantis, Aura, your father should go into advertising. He did a very good job in selling me on a respite there. The Gardens of the Moon, indeed." "Enough that after the business here in Amber is done, I am going to take him up on his implicit offer." she adds with a smile. "Good!" Aura beams. "And do not mock the Gardens of the Moon. They have expanded and the older areas have matured impressively since you were there. A flock of Starlight Firebirds have taken up nesting in that ancient silver tree. It's truly ...," she smiles slyly; "inspiring." "Have they really?" Deirdre considers this for a long moment. "I recall your father showing me a pair that we spotted in that little town just outside of Atlantis. An entire flock..." Deirdre takes a sip of the coffee "would be very much worth seeing." "On a more serious matter, though." Deirdre continues. "I want you to understand what is going to happen today at Court. And the choice you have to make. Random is going to ask me to swear fealty to him, to the throne today, make it official. After all, I wasn't there to do it when my siblings did." "And" Deirdre looks at Aura seriously. "he's going to ask you, too." "I rather expected that would come up sooner or later," Aura shrugs. "And it isn't like Atlantis will ever declare war on Amber, is it? Amber certainly has no reason to strike at Atlantis. The only thing of any interest here to anyone from there is you and I....possibly Nick. The rest of it doesn't really impress them at all." She pauses to sip her chocolate. "I think that may be partially Lorius' fault, actually." "Lorius is hardly a representative sample of the Kingdom of Amber, or its Royal Family." Deirdre replies. "Thank the Unicorn." "I don't know, Mother," Aura replies lightly. "He has, after all, related many stories of relatives whose egos are as great as his own - and even beyond. It is a good things Shadow is infinite for them all to fit." Aura sets her cup down and ponders the sliced fruits in front of before selecting half a strawberry and sniffing it suspiciously before nibbling on the end. "What is the wording of this Oath?" "The actual wording is somewhat plastic." Deirdre says. She waves casually at the fruit Aura is investigating. "Its a strawberry." she says and then continues. "The basic wording revolves around your name and position, and your pledge to support and serve the King. You get to personalize it." "Serve?" Nick asks, hopping down to try a half strawberry himself. On him, hefting a half strawberry provides a visual contrast to Aura's nibbling of the berry. Aura looks at him with an amused expression. Then she plucks his from his claws and cuts it into easier to handle pieces. She swears he sometimes forgets just how small he is. "Yes, Serve." Deirdre replies. "Its a formal way of saying that you are going to support the the Throne of Amber. I understand though that Random likes to ask Family members to do things for him from time to time. For the good of Amber." "I can understand." Deirdre continues "that your heart and home are in Atlantis, and not Amber, Aura..." She looks at Aura "and so I am not going to try and arm twist you into it, although *Random* might try, and dear old Dad definitely would have made it mandatory. I do think that it would be advantageous for you to do so." "Besides." she brightens "I think that you don't want to be lumped in with Dalt and Rinaldo, the only blood relatives not to have done so." "Hmm... Dalt. The big fella with a chip on his shoulder?" Probably not," Aura agrees with her mother. "I do not have a problem with taking this Oath, honestly. As long as he does not expect me to become a permanent fixture around this he-- the castle," she amends quickly. Deirdre nods. "He wouldn't force you to do so. And many of your cousins spend as much time out of Amber as in it." "But let me show you something," her daughter continues as she takes a Memory Pearl from the inside of her cloak and hands it across to her mother. "This is my last day in Atlantis." She smirks smugly for a brief instant as she drops it in Deirdre's hand. "Well, not all of it. But something happened I think you should know about. It concerns you." Deirdre takes the Memory Pearl as if it were a lead weight, her face turning grave. Knowing what's coming, and the part he played in events, Nick grows quiet, too. He stops nibbling his strawberry half. Deirdre activates it smoothly, the pearl glowing with the playback as the pertinent events of that last day play out for her. When the pearl stops glowing, Deirdre's face is hard, fierce, and angry. "This House Ledaal has made a serious mistake if they have decided to make me a target. Doubly so if they think they can do so through my *children*. I did find it interesting that Lorius was so *passionate* about what they tried to do to you." Aura blinks and replays in her mind the scene. Her brow furrows slightly when she regards her mother. "As hard a time as I give him, as much as I seem to complain, we're friends. I would I would be equally upset if someone tried something like that with one of my friends. Including Lorius. I wouldn't spend so much time railing at him in his hospital bed if if he weren't my friend." Her Mother looks at Aura. "This all may be an old grudge of some kind from the War, Patternfall was a complicated affair to say the least. I've heard my brother tells a very simple version of the battle." "Speaking of brothers." Deirdre continues. "if this House Ledaal is seeking to strike at me through you, they might consider trying to find Percy as well." She sets down her cup thoughtfully. "Is he here?" Aura asks curiously. "Perhaps you should call him and let him see the memory." "He recently left to spend some time with Fiona's daughter, Brandeigh." Deirdre replies. "With my blessing." Deirdre adds. "Not only did she make a touching tribute to me when she thought I was dead, even if I had desired to do so, dissuading your brother from such an arrangement would be like trying to cart off a mountain a tablespoon at a time." Aura laughs. Deirdre rises, glancing at breakfast for a moment wistfully, and quickly returns with a large, thick deck of trumps. The backing of these cards are the Unicorn gold on the green background that mark it as one of the decks made by Dworkin. Deirdre flips through the cards and comes out with a card. It depicts Aura's brother standing calmly on on a narrow rockface, decked out for climbing. She is pleased to see her brother doesn't look like a Percy. Between the name and some of the things Lorius had told her, she had some concern. Turning so that Aura can see the process, Deirdre focuses on the card. And focuses. And focuses. Beads of sweat and effort begin to bead on Deirdre's forehead, without any sign of success. "Any day that finds me in it is a success," Aura replies with feigned haughtiness. Then she gives her mother a smile. "We can try again after Court.You are still not recovered from your ordeal, and I do not wish to see you have a setback. Especially now that we know someone is trying to make trouble. We should brief your guards." Deirdre gives a bare nod and continues to listen as Aura speaks A faint frown creases her otherwise flawless brow. "Perhaps come up with a way for them to recognize a shape shifter." She taps a slender finger against the side of her cup. "Surely we can come up with a spell or a way to enchant something for them. Unless your sister Fiona has already come up with such a thing...I shall bring it up to Lorius." "Fiona, and to some extent her son, have the Castle-wide wards as their bailiwick and their purview." Deirdre replies. "I've not seen what they've done since Patternfall, and I understand there have been gaps in their defense. Perhaps the challenge of something on a more individual basis will be a welcome diversion for either of them rather than the more large scale things they prefer." "Brilliant!" Aura smiles wider as she spears a slice of banana with a fork. Bananas she knew. The damn things were ubiquitous through Shadow. She took a bite off one side then offered the rest to Nick. They all pretty much tasted the same too. Nick nibbles the offered piece. "They couldn't have grown it here though." he observes. "Too cold." "Imported." Deirdre replies casually. Aura just nods at the expected explanation. "Any way, If you were looking not to be tied to the Castle as you said." Deirdre continues "I would recommend that you not mention the full panoply of your abilities to my brother. Judging from the memory pearls you've made, and the spellwork you have on you now." Deirdre smiles slightly "I see your education, both in Atlantis and what Lorius has shown you, has been fruitful." "Now, Mother; I didn't make the Memory Pearls. That's just how they come -- without the memory loaded into them, of course. I did harvest them myself though. Which is really the only way to get them, since they cannot be bought. As you may recall." She stops poking at a sausage with her fork and quirks an eyebrow at her mother. "Why on earth would he need me when he has Lorius, Fiona, and who knows what other spell slingers already? Especially when I've been tucked away in an out of the way Shadow for years and years. No chance to study the Pattern, no access to the great magic users of the family, no one telling me no...." Aura gives Deirdre a guileless smile and blinks innocently. It was a look Kovikin knew well -- and one that usually had him checking around corners and under the bed. Deirdre gives Aura a more than faintly skeptical look. "I've run out of legs for you to pull." "Why, I would never!" her daughter protests. Then laughs. "At least, not since I was much, much younger." Deirdre spears her own sausage and bites it neatly. "For all of his card playing, which apparently he takes vacations to do." Deirdre rolls her eyes "Random understands strategy games, and the value of having people of different ability levels on call. Not every arcane problem requires Fiona, or interests Lorius. A smaller problem could very well fall into your lap." Deciding strange breakfast meats will not do her any good this morning, Aura discovers the rose hip jelly to her delight. The color is different, but she would recognize that fragrance anywhere. "Plus, you are my daughter and have talents above and beyond spellcraft. That always counts for something. Random sees your brother as reliable. He may conflate you with him in that regard." The Atlantean arches a sculpted brow. "We aren't planning to list the scope of my abilities in open Court, are we?" "No..." Deirdre replies. "However, he may ask, or he may try and determine what they are by other means. My dear brother still a rat-sneak bastard." Deirdre looks thoughtful. "If Uncle Random decides to reward your Oath taking with a mission, I have a strong suspicion just what he might ask. Unless the unexpected occurs." "How is giving me //work// a reward?" Aura asks with a scrunch of her nose. "What is your suspicion? Because if diplomacy is involved, I have to confess; Ashram's use of me in that area has been limited to a distraction during negotiations with the instruction to 'just sit there and smolder'." She smiles. "I am very good at that." "Giving you work as a reward shows that he trusts you enough to give you something to do." Deirdre replies. "Its a sign of respect, as twisted as that sounds." Deirdre regards her daughter for a moment. "It seems, though, that I, and now you, have arrived in Amber at a propitious and delicate moment with its now former vassal." "So I think Random is going to try and send you to Rebma." She blinks her pale green eyes. "Rebma?" Aura sniffs. "That aquarium version of Atlantis? With no sun? Fabulous. My idea of visiting was for, like, a //day//." "Yeah, baby. Who wants to go spend time in a *fishtank*" Nick puts in. Aura pouts and sips her chocolate. "Ah, well. I hear I will at least be among like minded individuals when it comes to style of clothing -- or lack thereof." Aura sets her cup down again and eyes her mother. "What seems to be the problem between Amber and Rebma?" "I've only been here for a few days, so the entire scope of the problem is unknown to me." Deirdre replies, draining her cup of coffee and refilling it before continuing. "Once upon a time, Rebma was under the hand of Amber. Oh, it had its Queens, but in a feudal sense, Dad was her liege lord. This confused relationship, I understand, got reflected throughout shadow, too." Deirdre says. "Anyway, even Dad didn't push Rebma too much, but it was still an established fact. Even when Eric took the Kingship, Rebma didn't outright rebel, but Eric didn't push the relationship. When Corwin, Random and I fled into Rebma for instance." Deirdre says "his troops *could* have entered the city after us, but he wisely chose not to do so." "Now, though, Moire has decided that even a loose suzerainty is not to be tolerated, and had her charge d'affaires deliver a declaration of independence at the Festival of the Unicorn Ball, very publicly." Deirdre finishes. "Uh oh." Nick says glumly. Aura just blinks at the both of them. She is actually surprised it has taken the Queen ruled kingdom this long to make a stand. "Why is this a big and terrible thing? They have been pretty autonomous for a very long time from the sound of things, no? This is just a technicality. Granted, it was badly done, but Rebma is too close to Amber and the shipping lanes for Random to court an all out rebellion." She tilts her head to one side and looks curiously at Deirdre. "Are their demands terrible?" "I am not in full possession of the facts." Deirdre admits. "However, at the very least, I think that the mere fact of their doing so, in a public and irreversible fashion, suggests a level of acrimony between your uncle and the Queen of Rebma." "And as you say, many of the southern bound shipping lanes pass above Rebman waters. If Rebma should try to tax or interdict those routes..." Deirdre shakes her head. "I suspect an embassy to Rebma is meant to forestall these issues and any others we are as yet unaware." Aura shares a look with Nick. This visit may be longer then they intended. She was glad she had given Kovikin that Trump card and insisted he learn how to use it, even though he didn't need it while she was in Atlantis. Nick rolls his eyes, and for good measure, shivers. Deirdre's blue eyes look fiercely at Aura. "Still...I have friends in Rebma, not the least of them my sister. I do not wish my, our branch of the family's relationship to Rebma spoiled by this business." "Of course, Mother," Aura replies soothingly. "I do not know that I will be any help, but I certainly will not make it worse. I am used to working in a flimsy attired matriarchal society, after all." Deirdre smiles. "Precisely and exactly. If Random wanted to stick a finger in Moire's eye, he'd send an all male team. If you are on it, you represent." Deirdre rolls her eyes even as she says it "cultural sensitivity." She peels a banana and takes a bite before continuing. Aura chuckles into her cup. "Of course, I could be completely wrong and he has something else in mind, or some other crisis will rear its head. It could be worse, Aura." Deirdre replies. "Dad made all of us, and some of our children, serve in the military or the diplomatic corps on an extended basis." Her daughter gives her a horrified look. "The seven veils of Celestra! I would have thrown myself overboard or something." She shudders dramatically. "I'm a lover, not a fighter!" Nick adds for emphasis. Deirdre clucks her tongue. "I just wonder if my dear little brother will get it into his head to resume the practice. Not that I am going to put that idea to him! If you escape with only being asked to do a little diplomatic work, daughter, we'd avoid you jumping a ship at first opportunity. For one thing, pissing off Gerard is a bad idea." "And if you were put in the Army or the Rangers, Benedict and Julian would appreciate such things even less." Deirdre adds. Aura shares a mischievous smile and a sly wink with her familiar. "Oooo... Julian and his very impressive -- horse. I might not be so eager to jump //ship// with him around." Deirdre shakes her head good naturedly. "I know precisely what you are thinking, Aura. Pry my brother out of his tin can and he might make a passable dining companion, yes? Ware his children, though, if you dare to try." Aura gives her mother an incredulous look. "Are you serious? Did the man suffer a blow to the head that left him so damaged he can't make a decision by himself?" She then looks over at her familiar. "See? What did I tell you?" Nick chuckles. "Get him out of the forest." he suggests. "His son is the brooding type close to his dad, who has a dark past and an unfriendliness which makes him even less welcome at family gatherings than communicable diseases. Still, like his Dad, he has a small army of Rangers. No horse, though, at least none I remember. I've only heard a little bit about his daughter, she was very young when I went off to war. I think she manages part of the forest on Julian's behalf, too." Her daughter just snorted in response, still contemplating the very idea that a man as old as the Warder - who wasn't the least bit infirm -needed his children to protect him. Apparently they thought he needed it so much they didn't dare even leave Arden. "Julian and Gerard's kids all get along well together, from what I see." Deirdre adds. "For a single Royal Family, we can be oh so very clannish when we want to be." "That's hardly a surprise," Aura remarks dryly. "Did Gerard's kids turn out to be overprotective miniature versions of Daddy too?" Deirdre clucks her tongue. "I see that Lorius has given his usual biased view of the family. I shudder to ask what he thought of me." Nick begins to say something and then puts a claw over his mouth as if to physically resist the urge. "Gerard has three...now four children." Deirdre continues. "The twins, Castor and Pollux, are a sailor very much like his Dad, and a diplomat who is more nuanced and interesting. They are his children by his wife, Portia. There is a funny story about how they met." "He has a daughter not by his wife. Toireasa acts like she's a daughter of Bleys, and acts as if she's part Fey, too." Deirdre rolls her eyes. "I understand a fourth has popped up, Hadrian, he's not Portia's son either, born and lived in DuMarque. Don't know much about him, yet." Deirdre drains her cup of coffee. "My, my," Aura clucks playfully. "For a not very fertile family, Gerard has been a busy, busy boy. Good for him. I suppose all hope is not lost for your side of the family. I just won't be jumping through hoops for any of them; not when I have an entire Shadow imaginative mages to play in. I have no problem with 'The Hunt'. It's a rather delicious game. I just refuse to be harried during it by ... mother hens." Deirdre looks at Aura. "I understand that our distaff gender has to play by different rules, our own rules, when it comes to such matters. What you do or not, is up to you. I just warn you, just in case." "To answer your question, though, your side of the family, myself, Eric and Corwin..." Deirdre pours herself more coffee first. "Eric has one for sure, a daughter named Noys. Don't know for certain about any other, although there are rumors. I don't have any besides you and Percival." Deirdre smiles. "Two is enough. My brother, on the other hand, has a motley set. Merlin, the Emperor of Chaos, Triton, son of Queen Moire and foolish duelist, and Angelique..." Deirdre pauses. "She's the worst of the lot, and caused a ruckus at the Festival of the Unicorn after that declaration of Rebman independence I mentioned." She shakes her head with a sigh. "She has much of your talent, Aura, although in different fields...and absolutely no control whatsoever." Deirdre looks at her cup. "I am guessing Lorius didn't tell you about her, because she is another of those sequestered and not known by the family at large, like you. Although it would not surprise me if he found and pestered her in like manner...unless she spent lots of time in her mother's court..." Deirdre takes a thoughtful pause to sip coffee. Frowning thoughtfully, Aura hums to herself a moment. "No, I cannot say I recall him mentioning her. But Lorius does like his little secrets and surprises." Her chocolate has cooled and she makes a face at it before warming it back up by tapping the side of the cup. "Details, Mother; how did she cause a ruckus? I really need to know what defines a 'ruckus' in this place." "So that you know how far *you* can go?" Deirdre asks. She looks at her coffee doubtfully after watching Aura's gesture and the pale curl of steam that rose from the chocolate afterwards. Aura leans forward wordlessly and taps the side of Deidre's coffee cup. She smiles when the stem wafts from the surface and sits back properly. "Why should I stumble to find the boundaries when others have done it for me?" Deirdre gives a nod and smile at Aura's gesture, and cocks her head at her daughter's response, and then after a sip of the now hot coffee speaks. "After Concheta ap Nerys gave her pretty little speech declaring Rebma free and independent from Amber, she headed out of the rather stunned ballroom. She reached the threshold, and at the threshold, vanished from sight suddenly." Deirdre begins. "And clearly, not by her own agency." "Investigation from several quarters began on what happened and why. With a gesture, Angelique had the Charge D'affaires reappear in the ballroom, whereupon she was escorted out by your cousin Triton." "Quoi? She teleported this Nerys someplace and then back? Or was it someone else that sent her away in the first place and Angelique brought her back?" Aura tilts her head curiously. "Not very diplomatic if the former, but I thought showing off was a family trait..." "Sometimes." Deirdre smiles slightly. "The consensus was" mother continues "that Angelique decided to do both. And yes, showing off is a family trait...and yet, there are times and places for these things. Angelique's misstep, in my view, is doing it in full view of the public with nothing to show for it" "Take this investigation you did of the man who tried to kidnap you as contrast." Deirdre continues. "You and Lorius acted decisively, showed your mettle, *and* you gained useful information out of it." "Angelique simply made herself, and by extension, the rest of us, look foolish." Aura nods slowly. "Like a petulant child who didn't get something their way. Although it could be viewed as a threatening gesture - 'I'll show you'. It is unnerving to be teleported someplace not of your choosing. I'm sure it didn't help matters with the Rebmans. Did anyone ask Angelique why she behaved so?" "Her claim." Deirdre says calmly with a nod "was that she did this in order to question Concheta at length regarding the declaration and the meaning behind it. Failing to recognize, as you no doubt see, Aura, that Concheta was but a messenger for Queen Moire, and probably could not answer any such questions put to her," "Or wouldn't even if she could." Deirdre adds after a sip of coffee. Aura hums as she ponders. "She does often tend to act so rashly?" "Not that the family as a whole is very aware of it, given their lack of knowledge of her." Deirdre replies. "But in essence, yes, she is very much a loose cannon." "Every family has to have at least one," Aura shrugs. She taps her nail against her chin thoughfully. "Except for the Warlord of the Sun's family. Such a level headed lot." She winks at her mother and slips Nick a dollop of the rose hip jam. Nick avoids rolling his eyes at the proffering of the jam. "She's on the level!" Nick says, and winks at Deirdre. "Some of the worst tendencies of my brother has wound up in each of his children." Deirdre muses. "And now you know why relations with Rebma are even messier than they would be if Concheta delivered her statement and left without molestation of any kind." "If asked, I will do what I can, of course," Aura assures her. "But I want to go on record as protesting being stuck underwater. Though it's bound to be more colorful then what I saw of the land when I came in." She wrinkles her nose. "Everything is -- //green//." "Everything is green." Deirdre agrees. "I think you will find it better than here during Winter Court, where the colors are grey and white." Aura recoils and scrunches her nose. "Ugh." Her inner Muse was already strenously protesting the lack of color. Though to be fair, it wasn't completely drab; just limited. Perhaps she just needs to get outside in the sun. There is supposed to be gardens here... Nick shivers in sympathy. "Summer will be more colorful here, though and fall, if you remain in Amber that long." Deirdre says reassuringly. "Why, during Midsummer, you might actually think its temperate in climate." Her daughter responds with a dubious look. "The trees will still be all green, and I highly doubt people will support my right to go about in a hip sarong and pearls. All right, some of them will. But I'm certain it will be frowned upon at family dinners and Court." "It depends." Deirdre says. "I understand that Random isn't quite as formal as Father." Aura falls silent a moment, letting her gaze drift towards one of the windows. "Now that you mention it, I have never seen Autumn. None of the Shadows around Atlantis had a //real// Autumn like I think you're saying they have here. I've seen snow, because the mountains of Persa, Lemuria and Etrusca are topped with it, but the populated areas of all that circle of Shadows is temperate, either naturally or by the science and magic of Man." Deirdre looks more than mildly surprised as she sets down her coffee. "You've never seen a real autumn? Leaves changing from green to gold, red, orange and yellow? Aside from the pines, Arden and the rest of Amber turn into a riot of color under clear harvest summer** days and cool nights. One of the quarterly Festivals and Balls occurs at the Equinox, and its usually marked by very colorful attire." "You might like it, Aura, I'll remind you in six months, Amber time." Deirdre promises. And then a slow mischievous smile crosses her face which she covers by sipping her coffee. Aura looks at her mother suspiciously, though her heart is glad to see something of her mother's playful streak come out. "I remember that look..." Deirdre covers up the slow smile, but quickly. Despite this, as if she can't help herself, a bit of it leaks out once more before she raises her coffee cup to her lips. "Perhaps you do, daughter. Perhaps." she replies after a sip. "Time will tell, and its a long way to anything that might happen in the fall." "Just save some surprises for me!" Nick pipes up irreverently. "Oh, I'm sure we can find something for you," Aura responds blandly to her familiar while still casting a wary look to her mother. "You aren't as difficult to surprise with something new as I am." Deirdre shakes her head. "Then that is something else we will have to find while you are in Amber. Even more surprises." "I am a touch jaded," she offers to Deirdre, then smiles. "And am quite sure that it's always best to go Atlantean." "Now, to avoid *unpleasant* surprises, what else can I tell my daughter?" she then adds. "Who should I avoid at all costs?" Aura asks after a pause. "And I suppose I should ask if any topic is off limits here. Especially during Court. I'd like to know what to leave out if someone asks what I enjoy doing in my spare time." "Topics." Deirdre muses. "Recall, Aura, that I've only been recently returned to Amber, so I know not as much as I might about what topics his Majesty my annoying little brother considers impolitic." Deirdre's eyebrows knit together for a moment. Her eyes finally widen in realization as she speaks "The succession is a bad topic to bring up to the King. Or Martin. He's not the heir, because that would put a target on his back, but he IS Random's son." "Son of the chairman!" Nick pipes up. Aura just shakes her head at Nick. That was Lorius' influence, she just knows it. "I would imagine." Deirdre continues, shaking her head at Nick "that my dear brother Brand would not be a safe topic to bring up, especially with anyone with ginger colored hair." "As far as *who* to avoid." Deirdre continues. "For starters, I have never gotten along very well with Flora. I suspect that she will not appreciate your fashion sense or perceived lack of decorum. Most people try to avoid Fiona on general principles, but being inoculated by associating with her son might give you advantage in that regard." "Oh, I hope so. I have been wanting to meet Aunt Fiona," Aura smiles. "Assuming she isn't as prone to long monologues as her son is. I ask for a paragraph, he gives me a chapter, and then I spend ten minutes sorting through it all. Sometimes I think I still miss half of it. I really should spend the time to enchant a stylus to just write everything down for later study." "Fiona might lecture, but her son has perfected the art of speaking in monologues. Fi just gives some information and her dam*ed smirk." Deirdre says. "As for Flora," Aura waves a hand dismissively. "If she thinks this is bad, she should really count herself lucky I am wearing more then six strands of pearls and a flower behind my ear." Nick gives Aura a thumbs up of approval. Deirdre purses her lips. "Keeping in that vain, Her Royal Fashioness' daughter Asteria is modeled closely to mother dearest. She plays at looking and acting far less intelligent than she really is, though." Deirdre warns. "Her son is far more interesting and imperfect; you might like him. He's one of the best swordsmen in the family." "But you were asking for what to *avoid*." Deirdre says with a smile. "I'm sure you can figure out who you can charm or gossip with without my help." "True enough," Aura agrees. "So I should avoid Flora's daughter unless I want a headache, and apparently Julian //and// his children to be on the safe side. Oh, and the hothead." She taps her nail against her mug absently. "Who is actually //here//? According to what you last heard." "A revolving cast of brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces." Deirdre replies. "The King and Queen, of course. Flora, and her two children. Fi. Thanks to you, Lorius. Shannon. Julian and his children. Noys. Triton, in the Infirmary. Castor. Hadrian. Larissa." She exhales. "Don't ask me to say all that again quickly." Nick chuckles. "Oh, and a distant cousin to all of us who walks in dreams." Deirdre adds. "Valerian." "Does he now?" Aura asks curiously. "I cannot decide if I like that idea or not." She smirks while bringing her cup to her lips. "I shall endeavor to give him interesting dreams to walk through should he decide to visit." "Oh. he's in the Castle now, you'll likely see him at Court, in person." Deirdre says. "In addition to his odd nocturnal activities." Aura starts to sip, then stops and smiles. "Oh, and don't blame me for Lorius' arrival. He followed me here. Like a puppy." Nick sticks out his tongue in a mock-pant. "I wasn't blaming you." Deirdre replies. "I simply assumed that he *led* you here. On the other hand, if it was not for his unexpected visitation to your shadow, it might be some weeks or months before you found out what had happened to me." "That would have been a shame," Aura agrees. "But I could have done without the enviromentally damaging crash landing in the bay. Lorius is definately persona non grata in Ashram's Court." She looks over to the clock and clicks her tongue. "What time is Court?" The clock that Aura spots, a rococo bracket clock in a French design, currently reads just past ten forty five. "Officially, Court Session begins in forty five minutes." Deirdre replies. "Those who prefer to scheme and politic and be seen early start gathering..." she glances at the clock. "Already. More traditionally, I arrive just when the doors to the Hall open, which is in twenty five minutes." "My daughter understands the importance of a good entrance, of course." Nick chuckles. "See? I was considering that we should arrive two minutes before the Crown," Aura grins. "It doesn't give people time to process what they are seeing." She gives Nick a considering look. "Perhaps a temporary transfiguration into a dragon..." Nick points at Aura and snaps his fingers. "You'd look *great* as a dragon, dollface. A right looker in scales." Deirdre blinks. "I believe that she was speaking about you, Nicholas." Nick grins. "Oh, Yeah. I can see that, But how can you improve on *perfection*?" "I'm not talking about transfiguring //Kovikin// into a dragon," Aura smirks. "Maybe not a dragon for you. I could always give back that purple mohawk." "Nooooo!" Nick wheedles "That would be totally a bummer, Aura. Fifth rate." Deirdre looks at Nick and then at Aura. "If you did give him a mohawk, people might really be confused as to what Nick was supposed to be. A dragon, or nothing, I should think." Aura pouts. "But I liked the mohawk." "Awww, babydoll." Nick relents, pointing a finger at you. "You know I can't resist ya when you blink those eyes at me." "But now, dear daughter, whatever you decide to do with your familiar, I think I should soon make myself ready as well." Deirdre puts in. "Don't let us stop you, Mother," Aura smiles. "We can wait for you here if you don't mind." Deirdre smiles indulgently. "There are family members who I would be concerned about stealing the cutlery and furniture. You and your brother are not counted amongst them. If you need anything, the Valkyries can see to it, or you can use the bell pull. I shall return shortly." "We'll be fine" Deirdre rises, kisses Aura on the forehead, gently gives Nick a pat on the head, and sweeps out into another room of her suite. Aura watches her mother leave and then looks at her familiar. "Well. What do you think thus far, my scaly companion? We'll have to enjoy the sun while we can - such as it is - in case we do get packed off to the aquarium." Nick says, wagging a finger and blinking his eyes. "I was afraid, given how you are, that she's be your opposite, a total Crumb." "You're Mom, though, I think you're Mom is a real gasser. Platinum!" Nick says. "Even if she sends us under the water." "She will not. It's Random that will be doing the sending," Aura corrects tartly. "Oh" Nick says, crestfallen a bit in tone. He covers this up with a quick change in subject. "Look, baby...it might be cold, but let's go out to the balcony while we wait for your Mom to doll up. See some of that sun the King might keep us away from." Nick says. He points to a pair of french doors. "A fine idea," Aura agrees as she pulls her cloak back onto her shoulders. She holds a hand out for Nick to scamper up her arm to a higher vantage point. She rises smoothly and saunters to the doors, moving slowly to admire (or not) her mother's possessions around the room. Mother's room is not precisely spartan, but it is definitely uncluttered. There is a definite style and look to the furnishings, the baroque style now possibly more noticed than when Aura first came in for her happy reunion with her mother. Bracing herself against the unfamiliar chill, she opens the doors and steps out into the sunlight. The chill is not frost-inducing, but this is definitely not Atlantis. The air is clear and crisp, and her familiar shivers as he scampers out to stand on the balcony and look out with Aura. Deirdre has a south facing window, a view down the mountain and toward the periphery of the City of Amber that spreads out from Kolvir to the harbor. To the left, the sun is a golden hue against the blue sky. Aura looks out over the landscape and hums. "Well, it's certainly ... hmm... the sea is pretty." "It's charming, even if its cold." Nick agrees. "Why can't it be as warm as Atlantis?" And down and to the right, Aura sees something slowly descending toward the forest of Arden. It takes a few moments for Aura to confirm what she sees. Nick's jaw-dropping reaction confirms that he sees it too. It's a dragon. Not the small dragon that she has mused changing Nick into, but a rather large, black dragon. The Atlantean Princess merely blinks and stares for a very long moment. She now understands why all those tales of dragons might have been more then a bit of fanciful folklore. The only real dragon she has ever seen has been Kess' and that was the size of a housecat. She finally clears her throat and looks at her familiar. "Well ... that's not something you see everyday. One hopes." "That's..." Nick finally manages. "...a dragon, yes." comes a voice from below Deirdre's balcony. A very familiar voice. A few moments later, the levitating figure's head, and the the rest of his short body comes into view. Lorius. He arranges himself so that he's framed by the sun, his navel level with the rim of the balcony as he regards Aura and Nick. Aurora rolls her eyes. "I should have known" "And no." Lorius says "that is not an everyday occurrence. Although I have a suspicion on who or what that one actually is." She smiles and leans her arms on the balcony, putting her face inches from his. "Do tell..." "Yeah, baby. Give us the information!" Nick says enthusiastically. Lorius smirks and regards Aura. "I didn't learn his name, truename or use-name." Lorius waves casually backward at the dragon, now landed and out of sight. "However, a relation of ours has a relationship of some sort with him. I believe that he is one of the few True Dragons still extant in the universe." "If I were superstitious, I would be worried, for that True Dragon, whatever his true name really is, has the title Lord of Midnight. He's not only a True Dragon,Aura, but he's also one of the elder Gods...a Nobilis, Aura, with the Estate of Death." "And I suspect he has come to walk amongst us here for his own purposes." She rests her elbow on the rail and props her chin on one fist. "I have no idea what most of that means. Is our unnamed relation a dragon, or does that handsome fellow turn into a human when the planets align?" Aura looks at Nick from the corner of her eye. "No dragon time for you, babycakes. Think of something else." "Creatures of such power can change their form." Lorius says. "I consider that our cousin, or uncle or aunt met the Dragon in the Dragon's human form, rather than the other way around. It defies logic and imagination, for example, to contemplate Aunt Florimel in a draconic shape, cuddling up to that Nobilis." Aura gets a thoughtful look. "No -- no, I can see that actually. I think I may have to sculpt that now that it has been called to mind." "You are the artist, not I." Lorius smirks. "Anyway, if he were in the form of, say, a Senator from Antioch, don't you think she, or one of our other female relations, might strike up a relationship with him? And give him the wherewithal to show up here?" Lorius looks thoughtful. "It might even be my mother. It would explain an awful lot." Aura laughs delightfully. "It might at that. I want to meet your mother. Assuming she is in a meeting impertinent brats mood." Lorius smiles slightly. "A meeting with my mother could be arranged. After Court, perhaps." "By the unicorn, she'll probably want to meet *you*, come to think of it." Lorius says. "If only to make sure that I've been teaching you properly." "Oh, the stories I could tell," Aura sighs with a dreamy look. "Will she turn me into a frog?" Nick asks. "You've told me stories..." "It was a newt, and he got better." Lorius replies. "Mother was just cross that day. I do admit, that the Asherah Emissary never again dared to suggest that the color of my mother's hair was anything but natural. He was recalled soon afterward and is probably now cleaning the floor of a funeral parlor preparation room with a toothbrush." "Hm. They must grow them especially stupid in Asherah," Aura muses. She pushes herself upright and holds a hand out for Nick. "You are fairly close to a newt already. Best be your most charming. Which means silent unless you're spoken too." She runs a nail down Nick's back lightly. "I'd rather not have you put in a snowglobe or something equally inconvenient so early in our visit." "That would seriously cramp my style!" Nick exclaims. He looks at the floating son of Lorius plaintively. "Don't let your ma do something unnatural to me!" "Then you should behave in her presence. She is one of the five best sorceresses in the universe and never forget it. Her reputation is *well* deserved." Lorius looks from Nick to Aura. "How has your conversation with your mother progressed?" "Not too bad," Aura muses. "Even with the space of far too many decades between visits. She was a bit miffed at the attempt on me, and noted your actions in the aftermath." She smiles. "Your protectiveness was remarked on." This actually gets some of the color of his hair to appear on Lorius' face, albeit briefly. "Well, you know, I think I told you once how the formula works for rivalry in this family. Me against my sister. Me and my sister against my cousin. Me and my cousin against the outsider." Lorius replies. "I couldn't let a two bit scion of a minor Chaosian House have a chance at succeeding against you. Bad for the family name." He doesn't quite sound convincing. Aura smiles. Just because, she leans over the rail and gives him a warm kiss on the cheek. "Besides" Lorius continues, with much more conviction in his voice, and not the least bit of color from the kiss. "You are one of my favorite students." "That I can believe!" Nick pipes up. "Certainly," she smirks. "I am the one wearing the least amount of clothes." "Well." Lorius says. "I always thought it was the strategic use of the clothes, myself. Not that I think Aunt Flora or cousin Asteria would agree." She waves dismissively. "Speaking of clothes...I think I probably should actually change for Court. Do you think a harlequin costume would suit me?" Lorius smirks. He then shakes his head. "Oui," Aura grins. "But then you're the one that risks being turned into a newt." Lorius shakes his head. "His Majesty would just volunteer me for something unpleasant. Like being emissary to the icebox of DuMarque. Anyway, I wanted to check in on you before the fun and adventure of Random holding Court. Mom should be making her entrance soon. Your mother might be the mistress of perfect timing, but my mother is not bad at it." "Like me" Lorius winks. She rolls her eyes in amusement. "Au contraire, mon petit chou. You are more -- enfant terrible." She reaches over and pinches his cheek. "But you are my favorite enfant terrible." Lorius grins. "I'm older than you are." "And look it too!" Nick pipes up. Lorius rolls his eyes. "Anyway, I suspect your Mom is about to exit, ready to steal the spotlight. So, au revoir..." And he sinks below the balcony, and out of sight. "...and watch out for that dragon." are the last words she hears from him. "That would be more helpful if I knew what he looked like as a mere human," Aura points out to Nick. The white lizard scampers up to her shoulder before they make their way back inside to wait on Deirdre. "Maybe Lorius thinks that you're savvy enough to recognize a Dragon in human form when you see one." Nick points out. It is this point that Deirdre chooses to make her entrance into the foreroom. "Yes, because I have seen so many," Aura snorts. "Dragon?" Deirdre enquires softly. The outfit that Deirdre has chosen does not look like it belongs in the medieval look of Amber at all. Its not that the outfit is hedonistic in the way that Aura might dress, but the material, the cut, and the feel are definitely at odds with anything Aura has seen. The overall effect is a vision of silver, with black woven into it in an intricate, damask like pattern. Aura's eyes can pick out roses and especially two headed labrys axes in the pattern set against the silver. "He's visiting an unknown relative. Lorius believes he is a True Dragon." Aura waves that off and beams at her mother's appearance. She will have to share this image with her father. "You look magnifique, mère. You will surely upstage them all. That fabric, it is glorious. Wherever was it done?" "Thumbs up, doll!" Nick adds enthusiastically. "In shadow." Deirdre says, turning slightly to frame herself even better against the daylight shining on the balcony. "After my recuperation at Corwin's manor, we took a long and slow trip to Amber. The Royal Road, some of our family call that way of shifting, daughter. Corwin, who can refuse me nothing, did most of that shifting, and much our journey was in shadows he thought I would like." "Not far from that shadow Flora likes so much, is a shadow called Hennepin. Or at least the nation in that shadow we visited was named that. They speak French there, bien sur, and for being a shadow with sorcery, they are well advanced in terms of their development." "As you have noticed." Deirdre smiles. "We'll see if I can outstage a True Dragon." she says in a tone of voice that implies 'Of course I can'" "Please," Aura scoffs. Unless he plans on attending court in his natural form. Then, I do not believe anyone could upstage that." Deirdre waves a hand and continues. "I shall have to go back for some of the fabric, if not for more dresses besides the pair I acquired." Deirdre adds reflectively. "I think you owe me a mother-daughter shopping trip," Aura teases. "That sounds just the thing." "A shopping trip." Deirdre says in a tone of agreement. "Now, however, unless more of your cousins crop up and interrupt our progress, I think its time that we both made our grand entrance, and your debut to Amber at large, don't you think?" "well," Aura replies while examining her flawless manicure; "If you think their hearts can take it." She smiles at Deirdre. "The cloak: wear it and throw it off when called before the Crown, or leave it here and let the shock wave proceed us?" Deirdre only takes a moment to respond, although her appraising gaze of her daughter suggests that that single moment contains a fair ampule of thought in that moment. "The cloak, definitely" she says briskly. "Better to reveal at the appropriate moment, and achieve the desired full effect. We have nobles, ambassadors, emissaries, and family members to impress." "Shock em with your beauty, dollface." Nick puts in. "It works on Lorius." "The //wind// in Atlantis work on Lorius," Aura scoffs playfully. "I don't think." Deirdre says doubtfully "that my daughter is seeking to seduce Fiona's son. Even if it looks like he could use some woman-induced domestication. Some things never change." "Now, shall we?" Aura's mother offers. After arranging her cloak again to cover everything between neck and ankle, Aura waits for Nick to scamper back to her shoulder before nodding to her mother. "We shall." Backlinks |
